29 Jan 2023

Sadowski-Synnot backs up X Games gold with silver

5:32 pm on 29 January 2023

New Zealand's Zoi Sadowski-Synnott has won her second X Games medal in as many days, claiming the women's snowboard big air silver medal in Colorado.

Zoi Sadowski-Synnott in action at the Beijing Winter Olypmics

Zoi Sadowski-Synnott in action at the Beijing Winter Olypmics Photo: AFP

The event was won by Japan's Reira Iwabuchi in a closely-fought duel in Aspen but Sadowski-Synott showed few signs of disappointment.

"I am super happy to put down the two tricks I've been working on for a year and come away with the silver," the Wanaka 21-year-old said.

"I am so proud to finish behind Reira, who stomped the first triple cork in women's competition."

Sadowski-Synnott put down a left switch backside 1260 in her second run - the only women to land that trick in competition - and a right backside 1260 in her fourth run to take the silver with a combined score of 86, just one point behind Iwabuchi.

Iwabuchi of Japan landed a historic cab triple under flip, the first triple ever landed in women's snowboard competition.

Third-placed Laurie Blouin of Canada backed it up immediately, stomping her very own triple and claiming the highest single trick score of the day, a 48 out of 50.

Sadowski-Synnot claimed gold in the slopestyle on Friday, the same discipline in which she won gold at the Beijing Winter Olympics last year.

- RNZ